Slovakia secured a place in their first Davis Cup semi-final when they beat the Netherlands 4-1 on Sunday.

The Netherlands, who were 2-1 down after Saturday's doubles, lost the tie when a rib injury forced Peter Wessels to retire from the first reverse singles match while trailing Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-1, 3-0.

Slovakia, who eliminated defending champions Spain in the first round, will next meet Argentina in Bratislava on September 23-25.

Hrbaty, the world number 26, broke Wessels four times in a row from the seventh game of the first set to seize control of the match.

"I was a bit nervous at first, because I knew it was a decisive match," Hrbaty said. "After the first break, things just went on their own.

"I tried to concentrate to destroy him mentally as well as physically."

Wessels took a brief injury time out in the third set before deciding he could no longer continue.

"We were thinking of Gemerden playing instead of me," Wessels said, adding he injured his ribs two weeks ago.

"But even if I was not feeling hundred percent all right, we believed that I had a better chance of winning.

Slovak Michal Mertinak beat Melle Van Gemerden 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the last singles rubber.

Dutch captain Tjerk Bogtstra said the decisive point of the tie was the doubles when Karol Beck and Mertinak beat Paul Haarhuis and Van Gemerden.

"The court was good, the crowd was good, I have no other bad feelings except that we lost here," Bogtstra said.

Slovakia beat Argentina 3-2 in their only previous Davis Cup meeting in 1998, but Mecir said he expected a tough semi-final.

"Nobody expected that they could beat Australia on grass...They have a very strong team, and not just the top four players."

"We'll hope we will have no injuries, and that the guys will keep their form," he said.

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